The Darkest Hour (KGI #1)(22)

Rio shrugged. “Bound to happen when you only have three days to plan a mission and you’re low on manpower. You should have waited for me and my team to get in. It would have only meant one more day.”

“We couldn’t wait one more day,” Ethan broke in. “They had my wife.”

Rio stared at Ethan for a moment and then nodded. “I understand. Still, we need to ditch the helicopter. No way someone won’t notice even in this shithole little village in the Costa Rican jungle. I’ll take care of it.”

Without another word, he turned and strode away, disappearing as quickly as he’d appeared.

Sam shook his head then turned to Ethan. “Rachel settled?”

“Dr. Scofield is looking her over.”

“Let’s go grab a shower then. We both smell like goats.”

They went to the back of the clinic where the small room housed two open showers. There wasn’t much in the way of hot water, but even the lukewarm felt good to Ethan. He washed away the dried blood and felt along his scalp for the wound. He was damn lucky he wasn’t dead.

“Rio’s men go with him?” Ethan asked after they’d showered and dried off.

“Yeah. Where Rio goes, so does his team. They’re a cagey, antisocial bunch to the core. They probably resented like hell having to come out of their caves even briefly.”

“Sounds like my kind of crowd,” Ethan said with a brief smile.

Sam looked at him in astonishment. “Well I’ll be god-damned. You cracked a joke. What on earth is the world coming to?”

Ethan popped him with a towel. “Cut the smart-ass attitude, big brother. I can still kick your scrawny ass.”

Sam actually smiled. Then without warning he grabbed Ethan in a big bear hug and pounded him on the back. “It’s damn good to have you back, little brother.”

“Cut the mushy shit out,” Ethan grumbled as he pulled away.

“You girls having a love fest back here?” Donovan asked.

Ethan and Sam turned to see Donovan and Garrett standing in the doorway, amused grins plastered on their faces.

Sam flipped them both off. “Get cleaned up before Maren tosses your smelly carcasses out of her clinic. Ethan and I will check in on the others while we’re waiting for Maren to finish with Rachel.”

Ethan stepped into Cole’s room to find his teammate lying awkwardly on the too-small table, his eyes closed and forehead creased with tension.

“Hey man,” Ethan said quietly.

Cole opened his eyes and stared back at him. “Rachel?”

“Nothing yet. Dr. Scofield is examining her. Wanted to see how you were feeling.”

“I’ve been better. I’ve been worse. Nothing I won’t get over with the help of some good drugs,” he offered wryly.

Ethan hesitated and swallowed uncomfortably.

“Something wrong?” Cole asked.

“I just wanted to say thanks. You risked your life to save Rachel. I can’t ever repay that. Having her back . . . Just thanks. I appreciate it.”

Cole made a rude noise. “Just don’t holler that Semper Fi shit and we’ll call it even.”

Ethan gave him a mock look of horror. “Hooyah, baby. Hooyah.”

Cole grinned. “Right on, brother. Right on.”

Then he lay back and groaned. “If those f**kheads had better aim, this would have been a clean through-and-through.”

“Yeah, well, if they had better aim, your brains would be splattered over the Colombian jungle,” Ethan said dryly.

Cole closed his eyes wearily. “There is that.”

“I’m going to get out of here. I’ll go look in on Dolphin and Steele.”

Cole opened his eyes again and lifted his head. “Save your breath with Steele, man. And for God’s sake don’t thank him. It’ll just piss him off.”

Ethan chuckled. “I’ll remember that. Try and get some rest. Doc’ll be in shortly.”

“You take care of that girl of yours. You’re a damn lucky man. Not everyone gets a second chance.”

“Yeah,” Ethan said soberly. “I am lucky.”

He turned and walked out, his shoulders tight, his chest even tighter. A door down, he poked his head into Dolphin’s room, only to see Baker and Renshaw crowded in. He nodded at Dolphin and continued on.

Steele sat up on the exam table, his expression brooding. He connected glances with Ethan and gave a quick, dismissive nod. Ethan took the hint and walked on to the small reception area where Sam sat. He slouched into one of the tiny, uncomfortable chairs and closed his eyes.

The next thing he knew, Sam nudged him awake. He blinked rapidly as Dr. Scofield’s face came into view.

“Ethan,” she said softly. “Can you come with me?”

He scrambled up, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes as he followed the doctor toward the exam room. Anxiety made him jumpy, and he rubbed damp palms down his fatigues. When they bypassed Rachel’s room, he shot an inquiring look at the doctor.

“I thought we’d talk in my office,” she said as she opened the door and stepped inside. “Such as it is.” Her arm swept over the room that more resembled a closet.

Papers were piled on every exposed surface and boxes lined the walls on either side of her desk.

She shoved a pile of envelopes off the chair in front and extended a hand for him to sit. Then she walked around to the other side and sat down.